COP in Belém will give the world the opportunity to know the Amazonian reality, says Lula

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers' Party) said this Monday (19) that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP30, in Belém, will be an opportunity for the world to get to know the Amazon reality up close. The event will take place in 2025.

"People talk so much about the Amazon all over the world, now they are going to talk about the Amazon within the Amazon. They will get to know the Amazon River, the Tapajós River, they will get to know our forests, they will get to know how indigenous and riverside peoples live, so that they can start discussing based on reality", he said, in the second edition of the live "Conversation with the President", promoted by government communication.

The president highlighted that the federal government is already working in partnership with the government of the state of Pará and the prefecture of Belém to prepare the city for the event. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to pass through the city, which will receive reinforcements in the hotel network and airport infrastructure.

The environmental issue was the main theme of the president's conversation with journalist Marcos Uchôa this Monday. Lula sent ministers to Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, states that were hit by a cyclone that has already caused at least 13 deaths. In addition to showing solidarity with the victims, he said it was important for governments to reflect on the frequency with which these types of disasters are happening.

"This is a warning to humanity and government officials: we are hurting the planet. If we don't take care, if we don't take care of our water, our forests, if we don't avoid greenhouse gas emissions, if we don't take care of the air we breathe, we are condemning ourselves to the end", he warned.

The idea is that Lula's live broadcasts will always take place on Tuesdays, but this week the program was brought forward due to the president's trip to Europe. He lands in Italy, where he will have meetings with political leaders in the country and with Pope Francis, in Rome.

"He [the pope] was very supportive of me during all my trials. I called him, I told him that I would like to go to Rome to pay a thank you visit for everything he did for me when I was [arrested] in the Federal Police," he said. Among the subjects that will be discussed with the Catholic leader is also the war between Ukraine and Russia. Lula stated that the pope is "very interested" in promoting peace.

The trip will also include a visit to France, where Lula will meet with the country's president, Emmanuel Macron, and speak at the music festival "Power Our Planet: Live in Paris", invited by the band Coldplay. The charity event aims to combat extreme poverty.

"Extraordinary reunion"

Lula took advantage of the live transmission to comment on the last ministerial meeting, which part of the press criticized for having considered "too long". He was meeting with the top echelon of his government for about nine hours.

"For me, the meeting was extraordinary, exceptional. The first meeting that had applause at the end of the meeting, because everyone left satisfied", he said. "We harmonized the government team. Many times we don't get together, each one starts talking about something, answering a newspaper gossip. It is important to harmonize the government's language around a single objective, which is to make Brazil work", he concluded.

Falta só diminuir os juros ????

Em live nesta segunda (19), o presidente Lula mencionou a queda de preço nos combustíveis e em itens de supermercado.

Entretanto, ele questiona a decisão do presidente do Banco Central, Campos Neto, de não diminuir a taxa de juros.#BrasildeFato pic.twitter.com/G2x8hKyZXL

— Brasil de Fato (@brasildefato) June 19, 2023

"All that remains is to lower interest rates. In live this Monday (19), President Lula mentioned the price drop in fuel and supermarket items. However, he questions the decision of the president of the Central Bank, Campos Neto, not to lower the interest rate. #BrasildeFato"